Wednesday, November 6, 2013

Beautiful Ooty – The Queen of Hill Stations in India

Ooty is a beautiful and very famous hill station of south India and is known for its unmatched natural beauty. The green valleys of Ooty are so eye-catching that the British, during their rule in India, gave it the name the queen of the hill stations. It is located in the Nilgiri Hills in Nilgiri district of Tamil Nadu. Nilgiri literally means blue hill and that is why Nilgiri hills are also called the Blue Mountains. Before the British took the region under their control, Ooty and its surrounding area was occupied by Toda people.

View of Ooty

The British developed this area into a beautiful hill station to escape from the Indian summer heat. It served as the summer capital for many big and small south Indian kingdoms during the British Raj. Ooty is well-connected via roads. On the way to Ooty, one can enjoy the picturesque beauty of hills, forests, lakes and tea gardens. The Nilgiri Mountain Railway also connects Ooty with nearby stations.

Ooty

Tourism is one of the main sources of income for the people of Ooty. It remains a major tourist hotspot for almost the entire year. The breathtaking beauty of Ooty and its surrounding areas also makes it is one of the prime destinations in India for honeymoon. The cool and pleasant environment draws in a lot of honeymooners to Ooty for spending honeymoon vacation. There are many other tourist attraction nearby Ooty like Doddabetta Peak, Kamaraj Sagar Dam, Mudumalai National Park, Mukurthi National Park and Emerald Lake.

Emerald Lake near Ooty

Our Entry for ABC Wednesday - Q is for Queen of Hill Stations in India, Ooty